This invention relates to rod end bearings for use on aircraft. More particularly, this invention is a new rod end bearing which includes rolling element raceways having a hardened raceway surface and raceway sub-surface zone and a method of making the rod end bearing.
A big problem with rod end bearings for aircraft applications is corrosion. However, it is very important that the raceway surface and sub-surface zone near the raceway must be hard enough to withstand the rolling contact stressing the bearing along the outer ring bearing raceway. Generally, steels which are very resistive to corrosion make very poor rolling element bearing raceway surfaces; and steels which make good bearing raceway surfaces tend to have poor corrosion resistance. In addition, though the bearing raceway surface and sub-surface zone of the outer ring must have high hardness, the remainder of the ring and its integral shank must be soft and ductile to resist fracture.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.